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Oscar®Oscar® Nominee for Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design
MOVIE REVIEW

Snow White and the Huntsman

also known as “Snow White & the Huntsman”
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sensuality.

Reviewed by: Thaisha Geiger
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teens Adults
Genre: Action Adventure Fantasy Drama Adaptation
Length: 2 hr. 7 min.
Year of Release: 2012
USA Release: June 1, 2012 (wide—3,700+ theaters)
DVD: September 11, 2012
Copyright, Universal Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures Copyright, Universal Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Universal Pictures

goodness vs. evil

how evil infiltrates using things that seem beautiful and wonderful

cruelty and abuse

the importance of taking a stand against evil deeds, resisting and fighting evil—actively pursuing what is right and good

the importance of guarding your heart

Where does true, lasting beauty really exist, in the physical body or in the soul and spirit?

obsessive vanity and pride versus Christian humility

Does modern society value youthful appearance over inward beauty? Why has this happened?

consequences of bitterness and jealousy

importance of helping protect the weak and innocent

courage, bravery, self-sacrifice

evil queen

based on fairy tale Snow White collected by the Brothers Grimm

What moral messages were contained in the original Snow White fairytale?

What should followers of Christ do when fear attempts to envelop our minds?

the need to have “eyes that see” / wisdom

sorcery

witches in the Bible / witchcraft / magic / enchantments

FILM VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer

anger

sin

death

true immortality—eternal life versus eternal death

Couple in love. Photo copyrighted
TRUE LOVE—What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer
Featuring Kristen StewartSnow White
Chris HemsworthThe Huntsman
Charlize TheronRavenna
Bob HoskinsMuir
Ray WinstoneGort
Toby JonesColl
Eddie MarsanDuir
Nick FrostNion
Sam ClaflinWilliam
See all »
Director Rupert Sanders
Producer Roth Films
Universal Pictures
See all »
Distributor

Sequel: “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” (2016)

“Snow White and the Huntsman” is a retelling of the classic fairy tale. It shouldn’t be compared to “Mirror Mirror,” at all. It’s darker and more mature in its storytelling. With that said, it’s definitely not for small kids. Though a bit lacking in plot, it’s a visually appealing movie with wonderful art direction.

Kristen Stewart stars as Snow White, a prisoner within her father’s former kingdom after Ravenna (Charlize Theron) brutally makes herself queen. The plot is basic, Snow White’s fairness and innocence can give Ravenna true immortality, but before, the evil stepmother is able to murder the fair maiden, Snow White manages to escape into the Dark Forest. The huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) is hired to track down the escaped prisoner, but soon finds himself switching sides. Interestingly, there is no prince in this retelling, rather a duke’s son, Snow’s childhood friend, William (Sam Claflin).

Though there are hints of romance, it mostly takes a backseat within the storytelling. I thought it wise to avoid the romance cliché; the movie is primarily filled with Snow White escaping, bonding with the Huntsman and the lead up to a showdown with the Evil Queen. It felt as if, perhaps, this movie is more a set up to any potential sequels.

All performances are strong, though Charlize Theron is the shining star. Some might say that she is a bit overly dramatic, but a queen obsessed with beauty and power would naturally be overdramatic. Theron delivers a memorable, complex performance which even helps the audience oddly empathize with the queen’s downward spiral as she desperately tries to stay young and beautiful.

Objectionable Content

Ravenna’s wedding dress is very low cut. After the wedding, the king is shown kissing Ravenna on her neck and lying on top of her in bed. Ravenna is shown topless from the back and from the front (hands on her breasts) as she dips and emerges from a milk bath. She’s shown from the back one more time as she ages. Though Snow White’s dress is mostly modest, when it’s wet, her cleavage is briefly shown. Finn, Ravenna’s brother, seems to desire Snow White. When he enters her prison cells, he touches her on the waist and caresses her face.

I only heard one misuse of “hell.” Other than that, I believe there is no other profanity in the film. There is a lot of magic, though it’s shown mostly as a negative thing. The magic spell which keeps Ravenna young come with a heavy price and loneliness. The Dark Forest makes some people hallucinate—seeing worms, gargoyles, melting flesh, branches become snakes, etc. A flashback shows a spell being created by drops of blood.

The violence is heavy. There are several battle scenes (one might argue they take up the majority of the film). People are vividly stabbed with swords, knives and punctured with arrows. The deaths are a bit more realistic than usual, with the victims writhing in pain and then dying. Some are shown decaying after their deaths. Ravenna straddles the king and stabs him in the heart. Ravenna is shown stopping people’s hearts and sucking the youth from young girls. Snow White is violently poisoned by an apple.

The character of Snow White didn’t have many lines in the film, thus resulting in her character being more shy and reserved. Rather than finding this boring, I found it refreshing and believable. Being imprisoned for most of her life, she has no one with whom to speak, so naturally her words would be few. Most importantly, however, it makes her spoken words that much more important (Proverbs 10:19). Throughout the film, she’s portrayed as intelligent, brave, and loyal—through her actions and not by words (1 John 3:18). I found her character to be admirable. Snow White even confronts the Huntsman about his excessive drinking and states that she no longer feels hatred for the queen but sorrow (Ephesians 4:31-32).

Overall, I liked the movie. Though not great, it was much better than I thought it’d be. If a sequel is made, I’d be willing to see it. If so, hopefully less time will be spent on battles and visually stunning scenes and more on plot and character development. If the above content doesn’t seem overly offensive, then I recommend it for viewing.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Moderate

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—I went to see this movie the day it came out and did not have very high expectations. Most adaptations of fairytales fall short of portraying the moral messages contained in the original versions. Fortunately, I was not disappointed with this one! The film incorporates an undisguised Christian moral worldview, as well as symbolism and allegory akin to C.S. Lewis’s tales of Narnia. Evil is shown as evil, and good is shown as good, with no relativism. Early in the film, Snow White is seen praying and recites the Lord’s Prayer entirely. The “Dark Forest” is a place where fear attempts to envelop the mind, yet a place the dwarfs call “Sanctuary”, depicts an idyllic forest setting where a white deer (similar to Lewis’s Aslan) bows over Snow White to bless her.

There are references to the need for having “eyes that see” and the charge to actively pursue what is right. The filmmaking is incredibly skillful, from the impressive costumes and superb actors to the subtle lighting and enchanting scenery. A warning should be heeded though; this movie is NOT for children. The film’s portrayal of evil gives it a very dark quality at times.

There is the use of the word h**l a couple of times and the “D” word once. Moviegoers should also know that the film shows a dysfunctional brother sister relationship between the queen and her brother, as well as scenes of villainy, which include sorcery, violence, anger, cruelty, abuse, vanity, and sin; but never gratuitously and not upheld as a virtuous example of behavior.

There are plenty of battle scenes filled with action and suspense that magnify sacrifice and the triumph of good over evil. The best message of the film by far is the importance of guarding your heart.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
M. Grubbs, age 45 (USA)
Positive—I really enjoyed this movie, although I would not recommend it to children under 12, especially if sensitive to graphic depictions of evil and creatures and warfare. Our heroine is, of course, Snow White, who is banished into a prison tower by her evil, and I do mean evil, step mother, who right in the beginning takes over the kingdom by slaying the king. (Graphic depiction). The special effects were great—loved the heroine who rises up to take back her rightful throne with power and a fearless heart.

Snow starts out saying the Lord’s Prayer right in the beginning of her exploits to escape for her life. I loved that they had her recite the whole prayer, which ends with forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. This scene, however small, put the emphasis on her pure heart and goodness which would lead her to victory, while pitting her enemy in the end.

Needless to say, the story is one of good versus evil and the consequences of bitterness, jealousy and vanity, fueled by a selfish desire to remain young. One of the messages I got out of the movie is that the endless quest for eternal youth only leads to jealousy and bitterness, and we cannot escape the fact we will all die and meet our maker. Like the world we live in today, people are desperate to look young because they can’t face death and are afraid. The mirror lied to the queen by telling her she was the fairest in the land, when really she was only a shadow of reality. The media today is like the mirror, giving men and women the same message, a false sense of what life is about and leading them to be constantly more concerned about their outer beauty than the inner qualities of the heart, which God sees and time cannot take away.

Loved it! Some good surprise too!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Sharon, age 52 (USA)
Positive—Imaginative telling of the Snow White fairy tale. Gritty and realistic, with fantasy and mythological elements. Clear good vs. evil message, including that Snow White’s true beauty lies in her kind heart, innocence, and purity. Something her vain, treacherous, selfish stepmother loathes, fears, and hopes to consume. I like that Snow White says the Lord’s Prayer. Would prefer the priest to bless in the name of God or Jesus Christ or Our Lord, rather than “in the name of all things good in this kingdom.” Overall, very creative visual effects—“The Lord of the Rings” or “Indiana Jones…” quality.

Some images may be too dark, scary, or disturbing to very young children, such as the dark woods scenes, a stabbing, and the witch inhaling the life force or youth from victims. Others may enjoy the action, adventure, loyalty, sacrifice, and inspiration of characters who are willing to take a stand, resist and fight evil.

The evil queen’s obsession with youth and beauty allude to the historical Elizabeth Bathory, but only showing she attempts to use people in an attempt to look young.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Tori, age 40+ (USA)
Positive—My husband and I went to see “Snow White…” this weekend. I did not have high expectations, but was very pleasantly surprised. First, if you are against seeing magic in a movie… then skip a fairy tale, eh? Second, the movie quality was wonderful. Third, the teachable moments. There are Christian teachable moments throughout the film! ~ Good vs. Evil. …evil infiltrates the kingdom via something that seems so beautiful and wonderful. (“A angel of light”) ~ The obsession with vanity by the evil queen. Easily a moment to touch on how secular humanity has valued youthful appearance over inward beauty. ~ True love’s kiss… what qualifies as real love? ~ Character and morals… all throughout the movie ~ discernment. Those in the movie who KNEW who she was, even when the huntsman didn’t. Being able to “see”. ~ Standing up for what you believe in. There are more moments.

I would have to say, that I will buy this movie to have as a family movie just to use it as a talking point on many of these topics.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Tracy, age 43 (USA)
Positive—Hands down, this has to be the only best of Kristen Stewarts acting and part. Charlize Theron plays her part wonderfully. The movie was so intriguing but to be honest I was a bit bummed of the ending. Of course we all know that Snow White doesn’t pair up with the Huntsman in the end. Objection: Ravenna, the evil Queen, is in cleavage in the beginning of the film and gets necked and kissed by her king husband (future dead), a bit later in the film she disrobes herself (while her brother is in the room) to take her milk bath. When wanting immortality for killing Snow White, Ravenna’s brother fears of Ravenna’s long life and attempts to try and take Snow White’s innocence/purity.

In one scene; When the Queen disguises herself as Snow’s friend William, they flirt a little and Snow kisses “William” for a brief second (ugh, Snow actually kissed the queen without knowing), and when “he” shows the apple, she remembers the trick from the past he played on her and takes the apple and eats it, and Snow White is violently poisoned. Positive: The story has a great “good vs. Evil” plot. Snow White says the Lord’s prayer when in her chamber and does not hate the evil Queen but pities her.

I would see this movie again and get it on DVD. It looked much better than “Mirror mirror.” And surprisingly, Kristen Stewart makes a better Snow White than Lily Collins.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Anna, age 19 (USA)
Positive—I did like this movie for the most part… I just wish I could tweak a few things! One: Some of the parts with the Evil Queen were so demented that it got just plain dumb. It was like they were trying too hard to make us hate her. Two: the actors chosen to play the seven dwarfs were great, but they were only given just enough screen time to claim this as a Snow White movie! Only just! Three: towards the middle it just seemed to drag on a bit (And that was a part with the dwarfs! Total misuse! Give them some action!), and I found myself fighting to stay awake. Though that also might have been because my friends and I went to a late show.

I did really like the gothic fairytale-ness of it all, along with Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of the Huntsman. I didn’t think Kristen Stewart did too bad either, but I know others who would beg to differ with me on that.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Kadie Jo, age 20 (USA)
Positive—I’ve watched this movie with my “movie fellowship” friends. Although some scenes with the fairies in the enchanted forest were a little hokey, we liked the movie. The previews gave the impression this movie was full of darkness. Some church people would just write off this movie, because they think it’s all dark, and there was black magic involved. Hey… those people need to remember the original story of Snow White where there was the evil queen, black magic, poison apple, people getting killed… etc.

There were scenes of Christian virtue breaking through the darkness. Kristen Stewart made a believable Snow White. She was kind to an injured songbird and nursed it back to health when she was a little girl. (*** Spoilers ***) Throughout the movie, songbirds protected her and helped her escape from prison, escape from the castle, lead her to a white horse and lead her to safety. A little kindness goes a long ways. Both the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and Prince William (Sam Claflin) loved Snow White and would give their lives for her. They did not vie for her affections for the greater good.

All the main characters wanted Snow White to restore and heal the land of darkness. They wanted Snow White to defeat the evil queen named Ravenna (Charlize Theron) who played her character very well. Ravenna became evil because her mother cast a spell on her when she was just a little girl. And an evil king stole her innocence.

Another lesson on don’t play with witchcraft. All of Snow White’s allies were loyal to her because of her goodness and loved her. All of the evil queen’s people did her bidding because of her evilness and they feared her. This movie was full of lessons of good verses evil, self-preservation apart from Christ and sacrifice for the greater good.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Keith, age 40+ (USA)
Positive—This movie was an interesting twist on the classic fairy tale. The movie is mostly comprised of a very long chase/hunt ordered by the wicked queen to catch the “fairest of them all” Snow White who escapes from the castle dungeon. There was definitely room for more character development, particularly with the wicked queen, which may have made the movie more interesting. Pure wickedness and few weaknesses made her a little difficult to identify with.

The huntsman is very believable with his mix of physical strength and penchant for drinking… he makes the movie more believable and less fairy-tale like. Snow White’s character is depicted as pure, heroic and self-sacrificing and, where acting skills may be lacking, the historical notoriety of her character manages to compensate. Were the movie not based on the monumental success of an existing classic, it would likely have been harder to be enthused about the fair maiden.

The dwarves were different than they’ve ever been seen before, with outlooks and faces that match a fallen world, instead of an enchanted forest. Overall, it was a pretty good movie, not good enough to go a 2nd time, but I recommend it, particularly for the quality of scenery, costumes, special effects, cinematography, etc… Music was nondescript, and there was no nudity or foul language.

All family members rated it about 7 out of 10. There were some very compelling scenes which potentially could frighten my 11 and 12 year old boys, but they were not the slightest bit scared. On that note, I think each parent should access on a case by case basis, according to what has frightened them in the past. Our boys had seen “The Lord of the Rings” and other films similar in nature with frightening looking characters and remained unscathed, so this was no jump. However, for a younger, less exposed child, this movie could be very frightening. The family behind us brought in what looked like 5 year old, and there was a lot of crying and fear, which unfortunately did not prompt the parents to take the children out. With children accustomed to fairy-tale like scariness, this makes for an acceptable family movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
An Observation, age 46 (USA)
Positive—I saw this movie and was surprised by how much I liked it. While Kristen Stewart is not my favorite actress (she’s just not as good an actress as other young actresses (Emma Watson, Dakota Fanning, etc.), she gives a better performance in this than in the “Twilight” films, and her Snow White is definitely a better role model for young girls than Bella can ever hope to be. And Theron’s Evil Queen is truly frightening (maybe too frightening, for young children). The film itself could do with some improvements. After “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and the “Harry Potter…” series, the standard for fantasy films has been set pretty high. This particular film did not fulfill the standard; the CGI was OKAY, but nothing to gawk at, and the acting could do with some fine tuning.

One of the messages that spoke to me during the film was the notion of inner beauty (Snow White) defeating outer beauty (Ravenna). This is something I hope kids (especially girls) today will come to understand, the Bible says that beauty does not last, but our love for God is eternal (that is beauty itself). While the film could have done with a more well-rounded storyline, I was definitely entertained, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good movie for a night out.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Katherine, age 21 (USA)
Positive—This movie was better than I thought and it adds to the concept that being beautiful on the outside is not enough… and that good triumphs.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Yem, age 25 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—The trailers make this look like an action-packed epic much in the tradition of earlier box office franchises. There are some good things about it, among them the exquisite costume designs by Colleen Atwood. Some scenes are very well written and staged, like the infamous apple sequence. And the cast is quite good… it’s just too bad they don’t have better material, in the hands of a more experienced director, to work with. Sometimes films just don’t work. It can be a combination of things. For me, this film fell flat. There is no chemistry between the leads.

Most of the music is either nonexistent or completely wrong for the style of the film. A decent score by an A-lister composer would have done wonders for a script that meanders a bit, and is downright dull in the middle. It was full of good ideas that just weren’t executed to the best of abilities. It’s not a good thing when you reach the climax and think, “Oh, good, it’ll be over soon.” The showdown between Ravenna and Snow White is one of the better things I have seen in cinema in a long time.

Out of the four other girls I saw this with, two of them liked it, two were entertained but rather unimpressed, and I was bored. The film is a matter of opinion when it comes to whether or not you were entertained, but it never reaches its full potential.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Charity, age 29 (USA)
Neutral—Oh, please! This is the best they could do for casting? I felt like I was watching teenagers doing a summer job, just passing time until they could find the real thing. And a drunken hero-great! Special effects and filmmaking quality were very good, but wait for the video. It is just Snow White-but lame!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Dorell Proshek, age over 50 (USA)
Neutral—I went expecting a good vs. evil, but this was so heavily into the dark side in all aspects. Charlize Theron was one scary queen… over the top evil: eating people’s organs, birds… a good job acting but she was from the pits of hell. I felt that I was watching C. S. Lewis, “The Lord of the Rings,” “Braveheart” (extreme, extreme violence) and “Harry Potter…” all rolled into one. Seems like these shows go overboard with being so dark and mystical and evil. Kristin Stewart and the Huntsman did a good job with their parts. I really felt that I should have gotten up and walked out, with all that the Queen was doing… just too much… it assaulted everything in your being!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Joyce Akin, age 64 (USA)
Positive—Note: I saw the theatrical cut a few months ago with XFinity On Demand, and I saw the Extended Cut a few hours ago. “Snow White and the Huntsman” is a unique take on the popular fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. Kristen Stewart does an incredible job as Snow White, Academy Award winner Charlize Theron really excels as the Evil Queen and Chris Hemsworth is terrific as The Huntsman. He reminds me of Brad Pitt, only with an Australian accent. Sam Claflin is somewhat under used here, but it’s okay. The story draws you in from the opening music and doesn’t let go until the final credits fade. Once again, James Newton-Howard creates a rousing, stirring and heart-rending score.

See this film, and if this version isn’t your particular cup of tea, stick with Walt Disney Pictures’ “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and the smash hit ABC series “Once Upon A Time.” See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
D, age 26 (USA)
Negative
Negative—This is yet another current movie taking a “fairy tale” and gearing it towards a feminist perspective. The acting was not that exciting—some of the actors just seemed bored, in my opinion. The movie makers seemed interested in only two things—1. Making sure everyone hears their opinion that princesses don’t need a prince and 2. Showcasing special effects for violent/dark scenes.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Paulette, age 47 (USA)
Negative—I missed the first ten minutes or so of the movie, but what I saw in the first ten minutes was sufficiently repulsive, so that I was not sorry to have missed anything. There is a dark undercurrent running through the movie. Whilst we are aware from the fairy tale that Snow White’s stepmother is a witch, this film takes that description to a level of depravity that could only be described as demonic. Ravenna sustains her youth and beauty ***SPOILER*** by either draining the youth from her victims or killing them outright. She indulges in a number of deeply offensive activities, such as spearing the live heart of a chicken and eating it, she employs the talents of crows/blackbirds and has blackened the land with her evil. ***END SPOILER***

The character reminded me in some respects of the White Witch portrayed in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” from The Chronicles of Narnia, but the occultic and demonic images in this portrayal were far far more intense than in that earlier film.

There were some light moments in the movie, and the purity of Snow White is an incredible foil against the wickedness of the Queen, but, in my view, this was overshadowed by the overall darkness of the movie. There are also scenes of intense violence. As Christian,s we have to be so careful what we allow into our ear and eye gates, so that our spirit man is not contaminated. I felt defiled when I left the theatre and seriously regretted the experience.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality:
Karen, age 41 (St Kitts-nevis)
Negative—This movie is garbage (except for the visual effects). The first scenes were full of occultism/witchcraft, but I was hoping it would improve and focus more on the plot. Sadly, it didn’t, my family and I (3 adults and 1 teenage), as Christians felt extremely uncomfortable, and we felt convicted to leave the treater, so we did. We expected some violence and “darkness,” but what we saw was unbearable. Luckily, we were able to exchange our tickets for something else. I would not recommend this film to any saved person. It presents spiritual filth which God’s word tells us to stay away from.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Grace, age 35 (USA)
Negative—This movie was incredibly boring, bland, and the acting, if I did not know better, I’d think the actors were looking at giant cards depicting the lines. The special effects were OKAY, but they do not save this movie in any way. The only good character is William, who is usually the prince. In a sense, he’s still a prince, but he’s the son of a duke, not a king, so yeah. He still loves Snow White and tries very hard to save her after he could not save her when him and her were kids. Sadly, William’s love is obviously not rewarded, as Snow is hinted to have fallen in love with Eric the huntsman, as his kiss awakens her.

Now, let me be clear; love in any way is NEVER a mistake. I just felt that the huntsman and Snow pairing was completely out of touch. The dwarfs were completely pointless as characters, and I could barely understand their dialog. The most character development they get is when they mourn their fallen brother who is killed by the queen’s brother. The witchcraft performed by the queen and implied by her brother is definitely portrayed in an evil and negative light, so I am thankful the producers at least labeled evil as evil. The queen’s obsession with youth and immortality correctly shows how one must never obsess over these things. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Peter, age 22 (USA)
Comments from young people
Positive—I saw this movie with some family members, and I really enjoyed it. I liked how the characters had actual character, and you could admire them or feel sorry for them. Overall, I liked it and will buy it when it comes out. There was some cussing. Nothing too bad. But a little annoying. The Queen’s bare back was shown along with some low cut dresses. There are some scenes that younger children would not like, involving some frightening images. There was also violence, but it was not unbearable. This movie is not for small children, but teens and up will enjoy it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Sarah Kay, age 16 (USA)
Positive—I went into the theater expecting an action-packed movie with grand battles. No such luck. What I saw instead was dark, intense version of the Snow White fairy tale. It had its fair share of small battles and such, but no epic battle (i.e., LOTR). The beginning of the movie really starts well, with the background of the witch and Snow White. The middle kind of plods along, but the ending is somewhat satisfying, albeit expected. The movie really does a great job of contrasting the purity of Snow White with the evil of the Queen.

The visual effects were impressive, also. This is more of an artsy movie, than an action one. The biggest surprise of the movie, I think, was the good performance by Kristin Stewart, who played Snow White. I always have hated the Twilight movies (even though I’ve never seen them) that she’s known for, but she actually is pretty much perfect for the role. Charlize Theron does a great job being the evil witch, and Chris Hemsworth and the dwarves add a small amount of much needed dry humor. Overall, I would give it 6.5-7 stars on a scale of ten.

Note: This is not a movie for young children. Take the PG-13 rating seriously. Some people will like it because of the battle between good and evil, some people will hate it because of the overwhelming darkness.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Ben, age 17 (USA)
Positive—I thought this film was really great. There was no bad language, and it is clear what is evil and what is good. The acting was great and so was the plot. I wasn’t so sure about going to see it, but I am so glad that I did go and see it. There were some scenes which smaller children might find scary, but I would recommend this film, as it is really enjoyable.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Connie, age 15 (United Kingdom)
Neutral—“Snow White…” was pretty fast paced and entertaining. Kept you interested most of the time, but lacked character development. To be frank, without Theron’s performance as the Witch, the movie would have most likely flopped. Kristen Stewart did a decent performance (surprisingly) as Snow White, but her character was not relatable or defined enough. It was a good film, but nothing to rave about.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Aliya Mcreynolds, age 15 (USA)
Positive—I really enjoyed this movie. Kristen Stewart did a great job with her role, as did all of the other actors and actresses. The effects were very well done, and the plot was excellent. Definitely worth seeing in the theater.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Claire W, age 15 (USA)
Positive—Incredible movie! I loved Chris Hemsworth’s performance, and I loved the evil queen’s… performance! I just didn’t think that whatshernamefromTwilight was a good fit for Snow. Not at all. The violence was very heavy, and decently graphic, especially when Raveena’s brother is stabbed through with a spiky tree root. The sexual content was there, but not a lot. We see Raveena and the King beginning sex, and then the milk bath where she strips down. There was no language, and a little bit of drunkenness from the Huntsman, but it was necessary to the story. The character development was there, and besides whatshername as Snow, I’d give it an A+!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
James, age 15 (USA)

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